Comment: Two Good – making a difference to the lives of women and children in refuge-NewsCO

Rob (Caslick) from Two Good and I met a couple of years ago now. He came to us with a brilliant and very simple concept. Two for one, doing good. Buy one, donate one to someone to whose life it will make a big difference. Healthy, delicious, fresh food delivered in a jar to domestic violence services and homelessness services across Sydney all donated thanks to the generosity of people who want to make a difference in someone else’s life whilst eating well.

Two years on and Two Good have expanded to touch the lives of women in family violence services in Melbourne too. Last Christmas we were able to send more than 300 spectacular Christmas puddings to refuges and domestic violence services across NSW thanks to the generosity of Two Good and James and Geri from Sendle. This year for Mother’s Day, 569 women, children and young women in refuges received beautiful care packs. For some of these women it was the first time they’d been given something new and nurturing. A simple gift can give make a woman who has escaped violence and abuse the message that she is worth it and that someone cares. It’s powerful stuff.

Tood Good’s co-founders Rob Caslick and Cathal Flaherty.

Since June 2015, Two Good have sold 13,500 meals to individuals and organisations like Westpac, Google, TEDx, Qantas, Clayton Utz and Allens. The meals go out in glass jars and when you purchase a soup or a salad you know that another jar goes to a domestic violence service. This means they’ve provided 13,500 free meals put together by some of Australia’s best chefs to clients at the Women and Girls Emergency Service, Killara, Dolores and Elsie refuges, Mission Australia’s Homeless Womens Refuge, BMiles, Twenty10, Detour House, Wayside Chapel, Safe Futures (VIC) and now Mary’s House.

The Two Good model works on a number of levels. It not only gives immediate, tangible carepacks and great food to those who need it but it has also provided employment opportunities to 14 women who have come from the services that are being supported. One of the things that Rob says they’ve learnt through the Two Good model is the importance of showing care through the details. It would be much cheaper to provide lunches in plastic takeaway containers but they know that they look good in the jars and the women know that the Two Good team have gone to some extra levels of effort to make sure they feel loved and worthy.

When Rob asked if we could help connect Two Good to the services on the ground, we knew that it was a great concept but had no idea that this would have the level of impact that it has. Our services say that Two Good’s generosity give women hope and lift their spirits. On behalf of all the people’s lives that have been touched we say a huge thank you to all who have donated time, energy and love.

Celebrity chefs such as Neil Perry, Kylie Kwong and Matt Moran have all contributed recipes to Too Good.

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